Summer Solstice Recipes

Goat Cheese and Onion Sheet Tart

Makes one (10 by 16-inch) sheet tart

Frozen puff pastry is an easy shortcut for creating a tart crust. Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• Salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 8 ounces crumbled fresh goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper

To Prepare

1. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a wide deep skillet or Dutch oven.
2. Add the onions, thyme sprigs, 1 teaspoon salt, and the sugar.
3. Cook over medium heat until the onions soften and turn deep golden brown, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Transfer to a strainer placed over a bowl.
5. Discard the thyme sprigs.
6. Heat the oven to 375°F.
7. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Roll out the puff pastry into a 10 by 15-inch rectangle.
8. Fold the edges in to create a ½-inch border on all sides.
9. Transfer to the sheet pan.
10. Spread the onions over the dough within the border.
11. Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese evenly over the onions.
12. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes.
13. Sprinkle the thyme leaves over the tart and season with black pepper.
14. Cut into serving pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak Skewers With Green Chile Sauce

Serves 8

Ingredients

Meat

• 3 pounds flank steak, cut against the grain into ¾-inch strips

Marinade

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt

Green Chile Sauce

• 2 poblano peppers, stemmed and seeded, coarsely chopped
• 2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed and seeded, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cup cilantro sprigs
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt

To Prepare

Prep and marinate the meat the night before serving. The longer the meat marinates, the more tender and flavorful the results. The strips can be skewered in advance and transported, ready for grilling, to the beach.

1. Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Add the flank steak and turn the meat to thoroughly coat.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight, stirring once or twice.
4. To make the green chile sauce, place the peppers and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process to blend. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until use.
5. To grill, prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat. Thread the meat onto pre-soaked bamboo skewers or metal skewers. Grill the skewers, turning as needed, 10 to 12 minutes for medium-rare.
6. Arrange on a platter and drizzle the green chile sauce over the meat.

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Lynda Balslev is an award-winning food writer, editor and recipe developer based in the San Francisco Bay area. She authors the nationally syndicated column and blog TasteFood, and co-authored the cookbook Almonds: Recipes, History, Culture (2015 Silver Medal Winner Independent Publisher Awards). She is the 2011 recipient of the Chronicle Books Award (Recipe Writing) to the Symposium for Professional Food Writers, and a 2018 Fellowship Award recipient to the Symposium for Wine Writers at Meadowood, Napa Valley. Lynda’s writing and photography have been recognized by the New York Times Diners Journal, the Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post and more.